When you are considering having having a tiny home on your site it's important to know what the rules are in the Central Coast, they are basically the same as the NSW rules for caravans:
- Can't be permanent
- Must be used with a primary dwelling
- Can't attached to sewer permanently
- Can only be used for a certain period of time in line with the rules for NSW
- It must be occupied in connection with the owner’s dwelling house and only by the landowner or members of the owner’s family.
- Additionally, no more than one caravan is allowed on the land, and it must be maintained in a safe and healthy condition.
The townplanner I spoke to at Central Coast Council said that council does aim to release more guidelines around this.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a Tiny home vs a Granny Flat in the Central Coast:
Tiny Home advantages:
- High quality of finish as its built offsite and in a factory
- Know exactly how much it costs without the cost uncertainty of a build on site
- Doesn't require paying a $10,000 contribution to council
Tiny Home Disadvantages:
- Generally smaller than a granny flat and have smaller dimensions to accomodate being transported to site
- Can only be rented out to family
Granny Flat Advantages
- Can be rented out to anyone
- Another source of income that can be used to get more lending power
- Can be up to 60m²
Granny Flat disadvantages
- Need to pay the $10,000 contribution to council + the cost of submitting the CDC or DA/ CC (approx. $2,000- $4,000), + survey (approx. $2,000), engineering (approx. $4,000), probably an extra $20,000
- Uncertain exactly what the cost will be by the end of the build.
Conclusion
A tiny home is probaby a really good option if you are looking at housing an aging relative or young relatives that need a bit of space. If you are looking to create something a bit larger that you can get an income from then a granny flat may be the best option.
